Category: Comedy

Hello Everyone!!! First of all, let me say I am so so sorry for making you guys wait for another post for so bloody long! I haven’t been the greatest blogger of late and for that I truly apologise! I think I might have already touched upon my reasons for not blogging in my last post but if it turns out I haven’t and I’m lying like a right porker then I’ll explain again now before I go into the exciting (and titular) news!

First of all, as you guys know I’ve been studying for a Masters degree in TV and Radio Scriptwriting and my life kinda got taken over by finishing my last assignment of the year. I wasn’t feeling particularly amazing about my writing after getting negative comments off my supervisor for the assignment throughout the entire second semester. That plus the fact I started working as a teacher full time made me so stressed that I probably had a zillion breakdowns a week. I swear I would come home from work and just burst into tears at the prospect of another evening doing work I’d probably fail anyway. Nevertheless, I churned it out night after night (meaning any other form of writing, such as this blog was abandoned) and managed to pass with an amazing grade and some pretty fantastic comments off the very same supervisor who made me feel like shit (I swear one of his comments were “wow, I’m very impressed” and I nearly exploded with happiness!) and then on top of that I had my stand up comedy gigs. Now since my last stand up comedy course in April and the brilliant 7 min set I did, I have done another 2 gigs. One, which went amazingly well and the other, which just makes me want to crawl in a ball.

The one that I’d rather not talk about was for a national Stand Up Comedy Competition and I had to travel all the way to Leicester for it. Needless to say, my lack of experience in the stand up circuit didn’t do me any favours on that night and I was just a bit like a little fish with loads of sharks. All experience though!

After that gig, my confidence was a bit gone which is why it took me about two months to even attempt another. I did the Sunday 5 minute slot at Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool and the audiences responded really well to my material. Since the competition I had written an entirely new set and had worked on honing my stage presence. All in all, it was a gig that really helped reenergise my love for stand up and got me back on track for performing so it just shows you that you can’t let a bad thing knock you down you just have to keep trying and carrying on! An attitude I will carry on with from now on!

Anyways! So that’s basically why I’ve been incognito for the past couple of months! I know it’s a long ramble but I just thought I’d explain to you guys in case you were wondering. And now for the exciting news….I’M OFF TRAVELLING!!! Yay!!! ﻿

I’m so excited for this summer adventure me and my boyfriend have planned (completely last minute might I add).

After years and years of saying we’d go interrailing together we’re finally fucking doing it! We just thought after the hectic and hard year we’ve had (house decorating, career stuff, family issues, moving) that we deserved a treat and what better way to treat ourselves than with an amazing three weeks in Europe. We’re gonna be staying with Jakes (the boyfriends) family in a villa in Faro, Portugal for the first few days then the plan is to head to Lisbon then travel through Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Czech Republic and end in Germany! We would’ve loved to have done longer but we have two weddings we need to be back for!

As you guys know I’ve been a screenwriter now for about seven months and don’t get me wrong they’ve been pretty hard going! But once I had my first script under my belt I felt ready to go out into world of TV writing and kick arse!

In these last seven months, I think I’ve been on the majority of scriptwriting courses that are on offer to new emerging writers in the UK. Some of them, were amazing and I met some brilliant writers and learnt so much. Others….nawtt so much! If anything I just felt like I was literally throwing my precious money away.

Anyway I thought I’d present this little guide to going after opportunities as a scriptwriter to you guys so hopefully you can go after similiar opportunities and get value for your pennies!

Scriptwriting North is a fantastic hub for all writers in the North of England. It’s run by a really lovely woman called Beth who told me about the masters course that I am now on. For me, this place was absolutely fantastic as they taught me everything I needed to know before setting down a writing my first script. I have attended two ‘courses’ with them, one was a intensive day course for beginners which was a bloody brilliant day as it just gave me all the information I needed and in just one day! The second course was more like an intensive day of writing in various locations across Manchester but it was packed full of writing exercises, feedback sessions and food! If you live in the North and want to write, get in touch with Scriptwriting North.

The BBC Writers Room is a great place with loads of resources for writers. The most amazing thing about the Writers Room is the extensive opportunities it provides for new writers on the scene. From it’s twice a year submission windows for drama and comedy writers to the external opportunities and competitions it posts on it’s ‘opportunities’ page. I also recently attended a free event in the BBC building in Salford with the Writers Room which had a Q&A with TV writer Sally Abbott. It was a lovely event and provided so much insight into the industry.

This is like the holy grail for scriptwriters! Seriously! This event happens every year in London. Its a fantastic festival completely dedicated to all things scriptwriting that happens over the course of a weekend. Meet fellow writers, network, Q&A’s, pitch workshops, meet producers and so much more! The only downside for writers not based in London (such as myself) is the travel to London, the price of accommodation and then of course, the actual price of the festival itself. I couldn’t attend last year but I will definitely be attending this year, so will be blogging the entire weekend!

Okay, absolutely nothing against this course but I just don’t think it was worth the ridiculous price I had to pay! (£250, if your interested). It was run by Rob Grant, who was a writer and creator of a sitcom for a TV Series called Red Dwarf. Learning about how his career started and the in’s and out’s of what he knew was brilliant. However, the second day of the course, when he had to write a topical sketch show script for actors to perform that evening was totally pointless to me. I wasn’t interested in writing sketch comedy and if anything that’s the last thing producers want writers to send in to them. If you’re in London though and interested in Sketch comedy then it’s right up your street!

And that’s it for now. I’ll do another writing blog post soon which will focus on writing competitions I recommend!

Prepare yourself for a blog post that consists of me rambling on about building work, making dream career plans and attempting to stay healthy! Don’t say I didn’t warn you….

The House Renovation

All work happening in the living room has been pushed aside and put on the back burner whilst the kitchen has been ripped out and renovated. Believe me, it’s been quite hard to live with me recently as I’ve fret over the state of the house due to all the building work that’s happened. Dust has invaded every surface of the down stairs and I did all I could to not lose my shit over it! The kitchen work has been a nightmare with issue after issue (cupboards weren’t delivered, fridge freezer’s were completely forgotten and door handles were broken) but eventually it was all finished this Thursday! Phew! All me have to do now it paint it and get new accessories and then it’s back to finishing the living room off! Yay….-.-

Just going for It

As it’s the start of the new year I have decided to kick my career aspirations up a notch. I’ve committed myself to a another stand up comedy course, this time a four week one in Liverpool. Last year I only really dabbled in stand up and this year I’m fully going for it. No time like the present! I’ve also submitted myself for the Northern Writers Awards for my scriptwriting as it’ll be a fantastic opportunity to showcase my work and get myself out there in the industry!

Last but not least I have decided in order to control my nerves on stage better I’d give acting on stage another go. This Thursday I had an audition for a theatre company in Liverpool. When I was growing up I absolutely loved acting so this will not only help cure my nerves but it’ll give me the opportunity to do something I love once again.

Health, Fitness and Food

This week has consisted of a food overhaul after me and the boyfriend get over our week of takeaways due to the kitchen work. We’ve made sure we’ve ate home cooked meals all week and we’ve done really well to stick to it. My favourite thing I made was a Pasta Bake with Brocolli and Sweetcorn in. It was that big it lasted us two days! I also really enjoyed my lunch on Wednesday which was a bagel with avocado and egg, so simple and delicious!

I didn’t exercise on Monday as I didn’t have enough time but made sure I fit a workout in every other day this week. But as I have been painting and up and down ladders I’ll count that as exercise. On the weekend I’m going to buy an exercise mat so working out at home can be easier. I’ve done quick HIIT workouts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and I’m doing to attempt some yoga or barre core on Saturday morning. Now I workout at home it’s so much easier to fit in a workout!

So I’m back this week with an exciting travel/ work blog. Last weekend I braved the capital all on my lonesome for a course in comedy writing.

As you guys know my true ambition is to write a sitcom one day so I thought this course would be right up my street!

I stayed in a shared apartment in Camden, the accommodation itself was quite affordable and convenient. I will admit I had a tiny panic when I got to the entrance and thought I wouldn’t be able to get in and then walking up the stairs with no bannister. But in the end the place proved quite good value for money. However, I think next time I’d stay somewhere a little quieter as I was right in the middle of Camden market!

I choose the two day course at The Comedy School as its a truly unique organisation that specialises in all things Conedy and also does amazing charity work and providing fantastic opportunities for up and coming artists in comedy.
The course was run by the writer of a well known and long running British sitcom called Red Dwarf. His name was Rob Grant and he was absolutely lovely and hilarious. His story into writing was very inspiring and it was brilliant to get an insiders guide into how the industry works and where the best opportunities are at. The first day of the course was mostly Rob talking about different aspects involved in comedy writing, it was really informative but by the end of the day we were knackered!

In terms of food, it wasn’t all posh cuisine I’m afraid as such as I’d have loved to have tried loads of different cuisines I was so knackered by the end of the day that I couldn’t be bothered queuing for restaurants. On the Friday night I got a takeaway, it wasn’t all bad though as I went to Itsu. Itsu is a London based Japanese chain which specialises in Sushi, Noodle and Broth dishes. I ordered the vegetable dumpking broth, it filled me up but it wasn’t the nicest thing I’ve ever had from there. On the Saturday I just grabbed a sandwich from spar and then had a McDonalds. So glamorous! On my last day I treated myself to Pan Au Chocolat and a cup of tea to get me through the last day.

The course was based right by Regents Park so it meant I was also able to do a little exploring of the park and the beautiful Camden. On the last day of the course, we split up into groups and wrote sketches for a radio style sketch show that would be performed by actors that night. It was intense but an amazing learning curve and although sketch writing isn’t my forte it brilliant to see the whole process taking place in just one day.

The actors delivered our material brilliantly and I was very impressed with how they interpreted our writing. The course was quick and very intense. I’d say the first day was more for sitcom writers and the second day was more for sketch writers. Of course, both days were useful. All in all, after an exhausting weekend I left more inspired and determined to succeed as a comedy writer!

First I must apologise for the lack of blog posts recently, this week has just been insane! So much has happened in such a short space of time that I genuinely still can’t get my head around. Actually, I don’t even know where to begin!

First Ever Stand-Up!!

Oh my god! I still can’t believe that I actually did it. I’ve wanted to give Stand-Up a go for years and last weekend I finally had a go. I booked onto an intensive stand up course in Salford, it was run by a chain of comedy clubs called ‘The Laughing Horse’ and it cost around £100.

The course lasted for two days and on the last day we had a graduation show were we each did a five minute slot. I was so nervous but as soon as we started doing the exercises my nerves disappeared. We were set homework that night which involved us writing a five minute script for the next day. On the second day, we had to go over our script with an established stand up and edit it with them.

I will say here, I didn’t agree with everything the stand-up said, in fact if anything he left me feeling ridiculously nervous after he told me to cut loads of my script out. At around 5, we were given two hours to go off and have some food before our showcase. I met up with my boyfriend and we had a drink to calm my nerves whilst I went over my script.

I went first in the showcase as I had a train home to catch and I was so bloom in’ nervous! I got on the stage and just winged it to be honest. I ignored some things the stand up told me not to do and took on board others. I got loads of laughs and think I actually entertained the audience. One thing the course did encourage me to do was carry on with stand up afterwards which is what I’m mostly pleased about! In fact, my next gig is tonight! Waheeeey!

Food and Fitness

Asides from performing and writing scripts this week has seen me finally getting back into healthy eating and fitness. I’ve actually been the gym three time this week and had really good workouts. I think the purchase of new workout gear helped to be honest…

This week also saw me trying coconut milk for the first time. I must say its not an experience I wish to repeat anytime soon. I put some in my porridge rather than semi skimmed cows milk and in my cup of tea. I think in terms of dairy alternatives this drink just doesn’t do anything for me, I’ll stick to almond milk next time!

I’ve also recently been enjoying healthy and warming meals to get me through the cold days. My favourite meal at the moment is Red Kidney Bean Stew it’s so tasty and ridiculously easy to make!

That’s its for this weeks Friday Blog, I’m sorry it’s quite short and sweet but I’m afraid I’ve got to dash! Gig number 2 to do! I’ll be back soon hopefully with more content for you guys, until then!

As you guys know I’m currently studying for a masters in Scriptwriting and as I’ve been a budding scriptwriter for a couple of years now I’ve decided to share with you guys some of the secrets and tips I’ve learnt over the years, starting with the books.

Believe it or not but scriptwriting is not as easy as you think it is and good books written by people in the industry can make all the difference with your writing. However, saying that these books are still just guidelines for writers and are not the be all, end all. If I were you, I’d try and find at least one book on screenwriting that you find useful and use that as a reference point.

I’m going to talk in detail about three I highly recommend and then briefly touch on two that I also believe to be quite useful.

I Highly Recommend

Save The Cat by Blake Snyder

This book is a bestseller and it’s no wonder why, Snyder reveals the industry standard secrets that have helped him sell screenplays. It’s funny, candid and full on so be prepared to be overwhelmed with information. Snyder believes every script follows 15 crucial steps which break the story down. However, I would be careful as I don’t fully believe you can apply his method to every script. If you want to write a movie then this book may be for you.

The Coffee Break Screenwriter by Pilar Alessandra

Alessandra is a leading Hollywood Screenwriter who has written the perfect book for anyone whose ever wanted to write a screenplay or TV pilot but struggles to find the time. It’s full of quick writing exercises to motivate readers into potential screenwriters. The book is easy to follow so you won’t get overwhelmed with information. If you’re gonna get this book I recommend getting the second edition as it has updated writing tools for TV pilots and pitches and structural shortcuts.

The Screenwriters Workbook by Syd Field

Now, this book is quite different to the others. It’s more like a step by step manual to writing a screenplay with different exercises for you to do. This book also includes script analyses from different films so it’s almost like your getting bottle-fed Field’s guide to the perfect script. It’s clear and expert advice.

And Other Recommendations…
If you’re as passionate about scriptwriting as me then there are two other books is recommend to all you budding writers out there. The U.K. Scriptwriters Survival Handbook by Tim Clague and Danny Stack is fantastic for anyone whose trying to crack how to get into the industry and offers insiders insights on how to get…inside. Another book is recommend for anyone writing a sitcom, like myself is The Little Book of Sitcom by John Vorhaus. This little book is brilliant at helping all sitcom writers with every aspect of their script. He even breaks sitcom structure down into fifteen basic steps which are easy enough for a child to follow. This guy knows comedy and he also knows how to sell it. For me, this book is a personal must have.

I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for nearly a year! My blog has changed so much already in such a short space of time and I’m so grateful for the love and support that this blogging platform has given me! Anyway, I thought I’d do something a little different today so I decided to do a ‘get to know me better’ kinda post.

As you guys know I absolutely love beauty, food and travel as that’s mostly what write about but recently you’ll have noticed I’m doing a lot more lifestyle and career sort of posts. So anyway, not to confuse you anymore. Here’s 20 facts about myself!

I was born on 24th May 1994, on the day of the Royal Chelsea Flower Show (but that’s not why my mum called me Chelsea!)

I have a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University (yep, that’s the name of a small town in Wales. It’s not made up or from Harry Potter)

My best friend growing up was called James who I met in the first week of Secondary School and now works as an air steward.

I’ve wanted to be a comedian since I watched my first ever stand up DVD with my Dad at the tender age of 9. The comedian was called Peter Kay and since then he’s always been my idol. Some people idolise Beyoncé, some people Rihana for me it’s a forty odd year old man from Bolton who likes to impersonate his mum (whose not even Irish)

I’ve been with my boyfriend, Jake for three years now and we met in university.

I love absolutely nothing more than watching Disney movies, especially on a rainy day with a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits.

My parents separated when I was 7 but remained good friends throughout my growing up.

I’m very close to my mums mum (my Nan) who is called Alice,I used to call her Nannie Allie and it kind of stuck as a family nickname for her.

Growing up, I had a pet dog called Ben. My mum named him after the Michael Jackson song.

I want to travel everywhere! I particularly would like to go to Asia, Austrailia, America, Africa and South America, so basically everywhere!

I think I get the travel bug from my mum, who worked away for over ten years and travelled practically everywhere.

I love all animals, hopefully one day I’ll get to volunteer at a animal sanctuary in Asia or Africa when I go travelling.

As much as I love the gym and keeping fit I always wish I was a lot sportier. Apart from kickboxing on and off in my teen years I didn’t really do sports growing up. I regret this now I’m older.

If I had to choose one make up product that I couldn’t live without, it would have to be concealer.

Reading will always be one of my favourite things to do as a past time. I look books, in fact me and Jake are designing our living room to have three huge bookcases. Now that’s a guy after my heart!

I’m a major chocoholic, I love chocolate. Although now I’m a bit older I can resist it a bit more!

One of my favourite childhood holidays was Jamaica with my Mum and Nan. It was just the three of us and we made some beautiful memories that I’ll always cherish

And finally, my biggest ambition is to have one of my sitcoms produced and to have my own stand up your. I know it’s a random ambition as some girls dream of owning their own salon or something but this is something I dream about and two things I have loved for a very long time.

And there you go! 20 facts about me, I hope this has given you guys more of an idea of who I am as a person and what my blog is about. Until next time!